Tastes

Nose is mild, with hints of fresh bread dough, vanilla, and a bit of alcohol burn. Palate starts off very smooth and decently rich, with vanilla, honey, and light brown sugar, and then goes pretty much nowhere. The finish is smooth and very slightly dry, with a floral hint at the very end. This juice is incredibly one-note, and while it's an interesting change of pace from everything else, it just doesn't have enough to keep me interested past the first sip. The closest comparison I can think of is a very, very light Irish, (Knappogue is a good example) but without the light fruit, and far fewer floral notes. Worth trying once, but not what I'm looking for in my dark spirits.

This is rather good! Somewhat surprised, as until now, I haven't been overly impressed with the whole duty-free/NAS marketing, but this is legitimately good. Starts off much like Laphroaig 10, but immediately turns sweeter followed by the peat and seaweed making a dive-bomb appearance. The middle thins out just a little, but a hint of iodine and brine keeps things alive long enough that you remain intrigued until the campfire shows up to round out your somewhat long finish with a bit of smoke, some astringency and more peat. Completely lacks the traditional black pepper so pronounced in Talisker 10, and with a juice this good, I'm not at all upset.

The nose is rich, heavy with vanilla, then nougat, caramel and unroasted peanuts. The palate is rich, very creamy and full-bodied starting with dark corn syrup and leading to hints of stone fruit before meandering through vanilla to finish with caramel and toffee. While that might sound like a delightful journey, it is somehow lacking; thinner than the nose would lead you to believe, and less substantial than the creamy texture would have you hoping for. The finish is medium-length and sweet, slightly drying and ending with candy corn and cereal on the tongue. This is a good whisky, and very indicative of how far Irish whisky can go. Light enough for an everyday dram, but with just enough depth to be interesting. Right on the edge of exceptional, and all it needs is a bit bigger middle. As is, I feel it's slightly over-hyped, as there are better out there for the same price or less. If you can find it, give it a try. Tasted as a series, with Tyrconnell Single Malt, Jameson Black Barrel, Jameson 12yr, Redbreast 12yr and Green Spot. Ranking based on flavor from best to worst is Jameson 12yr, Tyrconnell, Redbreast 12yr, Jameson Black Barrel, and Green Spot. When value is factored in, the rank order is Jameson 12yr, Tyrconnell Single Malt, Jameson Black Barrel, Green Spot and Redbreast 12yr."

Oh My! The nose is filled with grass, caramel and hints of stone fruit, begging to be tasted. Palate opens warm, smooth and very creamy, coating the tongue. Molasses and vanilla lead to light peat and smoke before shifting to stone fruit and nougat. The finish is medium, slightly drying and then warm again, with smoke finishing over corn syrup. This is so different from the standard Jameson as to be in another league. Not as smooth as the Tyrconnel Single Malt, but much deeper, with richer flavors, less fruit, and more smoke. This is a great everyday dram, and shouldn't be discounted by Scotch drinkers who think of Irish whisky as a coffee supplement. Tasted as a series, with Tyrconnell Single Malt, Jameson Black Barrel, Jameson 12yr, Redbreast 12yr and Green Spot. Ranking based on flavor from best to worst is Jameson 12yr, Tyrconnel, Redbreast 12yr, Jameson Black Barrel, and Green Spot. When value is factored in, the rank order is Jameson 12yr, Tyrconnel Single Malt, Jameson Black Barrel, Green Spot and Redbreast 12yr."

Nose opens with a bit of must and dust, then moves toward toasted marshmallows and grains. The palate is smooth and creamy, starting with a hint of the dust/must again and then moving to pears before transitioning to caramel and a slight alcohol drying with peat making a showing for the first time. The finish is medium-short and slightly drying, with marshmallow, peat and grains finishing the sip. This is a good whisky, with good body and a slight peat presence. This would be a good transition whisky for Scotch drinkers looking to try bourbon, or bourbon drinkers thinking about Scotch. Unfortunately, it doesn't have the same punch or flavors my first few bottles had, and as such, it moved from 5 stars down to 4. Tasted as a series, with Tyrconnell, Jameson Black Barrel, Jameson 12yr, Redbreast 12yr and Green Spot. Ranking based on flavor from best to worst is Jameson 12yr, Tyrconnell Single Malt, Redbreast 12yr, Jameson Black Barrel, and Green Spot. When value is factored in, the rank order is Jameson 12yr, Tyrconnell Single Malt, Jameson Black Barrel, Green Spot and Redbreast 12yr.

Nose is very muted,mostly light caramel and cereal, but hints of orange pop up now and again. Palate starts with a lot of wood and a little smoke, then transitions to sweet with corn syrup being the predominant flavor. The middle stays sweet, moving to candy corn and a hint of fruit compote before a short finish that carries a hint of smoke. This is an easy drinking whisky. No challenging flavors, smooth and exceptionally well balanced. Very reminiscent of an iced unpeated Scotch blend. Tasted as a series, with Tyrconnell Single Malt, Jameson Black Barrel, Jameson 12yr, Redbreast 12yr and Green Spot. Ranking based on flavor from best to worst is Jameson 12yr, Tyrconnell Single Malt, Redbreast 12yr, Jameson Black Barrel, and Green Spot. When value is factored in, the rank order is Jameson 12yr, Tyrconnell Single Malt, Jameson Black Barrel, Green Spot and Redbreast 12yr.

Nose is soft and soapy, with hints of heather followed immediately by a blast of fruit. Palate backs up the nose, being soft and creamy, with fruit once again being the dominant flavor. Hints of vanilla and honey come and go, leading to a very slight alcohol drying and a little taste of brown sugar and caramel. The finish is short and again very, very sweet. Overall, this is a very drinkable whisky with good body and light, sweet flavors. Tasted as a series, with Jameson Black Barrel, Jameson 12yr, Redbreast 12yr and Green Spot. Ranking based on flavor from best to worst is Jameson 12yr, Tyrconnell, Redbreast 12yr, Jameson Black Barrel, and Green Spot. When value is factored in, the rank order is Jameson 12yr, Tyrconnell Single Malt, Jameson Black Barrel, Green Spot and Redbreast 12yr.

Neat, is starts out sweet, followed instantly by the heat of alcohol and cinnamon. Much hotter and spicier than the nose (cinnamon, oak, and is that marshmallows?) would lead you to believe. Great body, and a nice finish with the initial heat and spice present throughout. This is the first whiskey I've had in many years that I find better with ice. Adding just one cube to 3oz changes the experience significantly, taming the heat, but bringing even more wood to the forefront. The body is thicker when chilled (shocker, I know), and while it loses some of the oiliness I like, the finish is sweeter, with vanilla and honey taking the place of cinnamon and wood. Overall, a good bourbon, just not my preferred style. For mixing I'd find something cheaper, and for sipping, I'd prefer something less challenging, less in-your-face. The good news is that it's easy to find, relatively inexpensive as far as aged bourbons go, and it's a good step ahead of the mid-range runners like Gentleman Jack. Well worth trying, and your mileage may vary.

A bit of smoke and a hint of peat, followed by a sense of something missing. Somewhat thin in both body and palate. Finish is short and sweet, leaving a taste of ash in your mouth. For $35, this is a pretty decent bottle of Scotch, with nothing really objectionable and a few strong points. If you're drinking popular blends, I strongly recommend it over the traditional J&B, Dewars White, and it's head and shoulders above Johnnie Walker Red Label. JW Black Label is quite a bit smoother, with more body and overall refinement, but lacks the smoke found in Black Grouse. For the price, it's well worth looking for and picking up.